FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - Nissan Americas is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Farmington Hills-based North American Technical Center. The original Plymouth, Mich.-based facility, originally known as Nissan Research and Development (NRD), was relocated to Farmington Hills in 1991 and renamed Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc. (NTCNA) in 2000 and currently serves as the main campus of Nissan Motor Company's Research and Development (R&D) arm in North America. Today, the facility houses production engineering, research and testing, purchasing, quality and administration and employs more than 1,200 people in Metro Detroit.

"Our dedicated workforce in the United States remains committed to engineering high-quality vehicles for our ever- increasing consumer base," said Carla Bailo, Senior Vice President, Research & Development - Nissan Americas. "With that sentiment in mind, we are excited to add more engineers to our NTCNA family this year in a continued attempt to engineer vehicles that meet the expectations of Nissan owners."

In celebration of this milestone, the company hosted an employee-only event at the NTCNA on Saturday, August 3, 2013. The celebration included a casual outdoor barbecue, games and the full Nissan product line-up on display. Additionally, both Nissan and Farmington Hills representatives, including Farmington Hills Mayor Barry Brickner, were on hand for speeches as they commemorated 25 years in Michigan.

Representing a $230 million overall investment, NTCNA underwent a 90,000 square foot, $38.8 million expansion in 2002 to enhance the company's global vehicle development capabilities. The expansion included a new three-story engineering building, a new building for testing operations and the addition of 260 jobs.

NTCNA Timeline

1988

Nissan Research and Development (NRD), now known as Nissan Technical Center North America (NTCNA), held ground breaking ceremonies on a new technical center for total engineering and development of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles specifically designed for the North American market.

Participants in the ceremony included Michigan Governor James Blanchard and top Nissan executives.

1991

NRD established its new North American headquarters with the opening of the Farmington Hills Technical Center.

The facility was honored with several architectural design awards.

1998

NRD opened a new Emissions Test Laboratory in Farmington Hills, transferring work from its Ann Arbor, Mich. lab.

2000

Nissan Research and Development, Inc.'s (NRD) changed its name to Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc. (NTCNA).

2002

NTCNA announced a 90,000 square foot, $38.8 million expansion of the Farmington Hills research and engineering facility to enhance Nissan's global vehicle development capabilities. The expansion plan included a new three-story engineering building and a new building for testing operations. NTCNA also announced the addition of 260 additional jobs over two years in Michigan as part of this expansion.

2003

Construction of the new engineering building was completed.

2009

Nissan opens a new Fuel Cell Laboratory at NTCNA-FH. The lab supports other global Nissan research centers and works with suppliers and universities on various related fuel cell projects.

2012

NTCNA announces the addition of 200 engineering jobs over 24 months to help keep pace with the growing list of U.S. vehicle programs.

About Nissan North America In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, and 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 248,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.8 million vehicles in 2011, generating revenue of 9.4 trillion yen ($118.95 billion US). With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of 64 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011-2012 Car of the Year Japan and 2011 World Car of the Year awards.